SCRAPPERS Kubiak: This isn't college anymore

The manager used strong words to motivate his players.
By BRIAN RICHESSON
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
NILES -- Manager Ted Kubiak sent a reminder to his Mahoning Valley Scrappers after their 15-4 loss to Lowell.
And he made sure they heard him.
"Maybe it was a little more emphatic this time," he said of his message Sunday at Cafaro Field.
The Scrappers had just been thoroughly dominated by Lowell, hitting into four double plays, committing four errors and allowing the Spinners 19 hits.
"Some of these guys need to understand that they need to get some rest at night," Kubiak said.
Professional conduct
Kubiak's biggest concern is how his players handle themselves as professionals -- their effort and preparation -- on a daily basis.
"This isn't college. What they did in college doesn't matter anymore," Kubiak said. "But what they do today here matters tomorrow.
"They signed a contract to play. They were given a lot of money to play, in some cases," Kubiak said. "Get out there and do what you're supposed to do. This is professional ball. This is their job, their livelihood."
Nearly 16 hours after the Scrappers completed an impressive rally Saturday night against Lowell, they came out flat Sunday.
The Spinners scored in all but the fifth and ninth innings against five Mahoning Valley pitchers.
"They were patient at the plate and waited until we got behind in the count," Scrappers reliever Mark Harris said of Lowell batters. "For whatever reason, we were off today and they were on. It was just their day."
Harris, of Loveland, reacted to Kubiak's postgame meeting.
"He [Kubiak] wanted to come in and let us know that we need to focus our attention on the game 100 percent of the time," Harris said.
Scrappers starter Juan Lara was the losing pitcher. He surrendered seven runs in three innings, including a three-run homer in the first. It didn't get any better from there for his teammates.
"They don't always pay attention to what we talk about," Kubiak said of his players. "Most of these guys coming in are unaware of what it really takes to learn the game, to play the game.
"You just keep saying it over and over again, and hopefully it's going to register some day that there's more than going out there and swinging the bat and catching the ball," he said.
On the positive side
Despite the lopsided loss, there were several highlights for the Scrappers, who complete their homestand tonight against Lowell.
Ryan Garko and Brad Snyder hit their first professional home runs. Snyder's two-run shot in the eighth inning banged off the scoreboard in right-center field.
"The ball jumps off his bat. He hits the ball hard," Kubiak said of Snyder, a first-round draft pick by the Cleveland Indians who's had a slow start to his pro career. "He's been hitting the ball better."
Ryan Mulhern had a bittersweet game. He had three hits, including his New York-Penn League-leading 15th double, but he also committed three errors at first base.
LOWELLMAHONING VALLEY
abrhbiabrhbi
Jordan cf5011Colmntr 2b/ss4010
Ramos ss5010Lunetta ss1000
Murton lf5233Garko dh3111
West 1b5120Mulhern 1b4130
Arias 3b6343Conroy lf3120
Moss rf5210Goleski rf2000
Buckley c5231Snyder cf4112
Evans dh3212Chauncey c3011
Suarez 2b0000Suarez 3b/2b4000
Cloninger ph0001Threinen 3b3000
Cucinotta 1b1000Noviskey rf1000
Totals45151913Totals32494
Lowell322105110--15
Mahoning Valley10010002x--4
E--Mulhern 3, Colmenter. DOP--Lowell 4, Mahoning Valley 2. LOB--Lowell 10, Mahoning Valley 7. HR--Garko, Arias, Snyder. 2B--Ramos, Evans, Arias, Mulhern. SF--Cloninger.
IPHRERBBSO
Lowell
Smith W, 2-3562232
Sturge200002
Farley232201
Mahoning Valley
Lara L, 0-1367432
Pereyra121122
Weaver1 1-355301
White1 2-321100
Harris241100
WP--Harris. HBP--by Smith (Chauncey), by Lara (Jordan), by Smith (Garko), by Smith (Goleski). Umpires--Manny Gonzalez, home; Pat Harrington, bases. T--2:49. A--3,225.
HOW THEY SCORED
FIRST INNING
LOWELL 3, MAHONING VALLEY 1
Spinners: Juan Lara pitching. Kevin Jordan grounded out to third. Jason Ramos struck out. Matt Murton walked, Jeremy West singled to center, Murton to third. Claudio Arias homered over the right-field wall, Murton, West scored. Brandon Moss flied out to third. 3 runs, 2 hits, 0 errors, 0 left.
Scrappers: Brandon Smith pitching. Jesus Colmenter grounded out to second. Anthony Lunetta flied out to center. Ryan Garko homered over the left-field wall, Ryan Mulhern singled to center, Mike Conroy singled to right, Mulhern to third. Ryan Goleski flied out to second. 1 run, 3 hits, 0 errors, 2 left.
SECOND INNING
LOWELL 5, MAHONING VALLEY 1
Spinners: Lara pitching. Jim Buckley walked, Robert Evans reached on an error by first baseman Mulhern, Ignacio Suarez hit into a fielder's choice, Buckley out at third. Jordan flied out to center. Ramos walked to load the bases, Murton singled to right, Evans, Suarez scored, Ramos to third. West flied out to right. 2 runs, 1 hit, 1 error, 2 left.
THIRD INNING
LOWELL 7, MAHONING VALLEY 1
Spinners: Lara pitching. Arias struck out. Moss singled to right, Buckley singled to right, Moss to third. Evans flied out to third. Suarez singled to right, Moss scored, Buckley to third. Buckley scored on an error by first baseman Mulhern. Jordan was hit by pitch, Suarez to second. Ramos grounded out to second. 2 runs, 3 hits, 1 error, 2 left.
FOURTH INNING
LOWELL 8, MAHONING VALLEY 2
Spinners: Honeudis Pereyra pitching. Murton singled to right, West singled to left, Murton to second. Arias struck out. Moss walked to load the bases. Buckley lined out to third. Evans walked, Murton scored, West to third, Moss to second. Suarez struck out. 1 run, 2 hits, 0 errors, 3 left.
Scrappers: Smith pitching. Conroy walked, Goleski hit by pitch, Conroy to second. Brad Snyder hit into a fielder's choice, Goleski out at second, Conroy to third. Clint Chauncey singled to left, Conroy scored, Snyder to second. Ceasar Suarez flied out to right. Colmenter flied out to left. 1 run, 1 hit, 0 errors, 2 left.
SIXTH INNING
LOWELL 13, MAHONING VALLEY 2
Spinners: Joe Weaver pitching. Arias singled up the middle, Moss reached on a fielder's choice, Arias safe at second after error by first baseman Mulhern. Buckley singled up the middle, Arias scored, Moss to second. Evans doubled to right, Moss scored, Buckley to third. Suarez singled to left, Buckley scored, Evans to third. Jordan grounded out back to the pitcher, Evans scored, Suarez to second. Chris White pitching. Ramos flied out to center. Murton reached on an error by shortstop Jesus Colmenter, Suarez scored. West hit into a fielder's choice, Murton out at second. 5 runs, 4 hits, 2 errors, 1 left.
SEVENTH INNING
LOWELL 14, MAHONING VALLEY 2
Spinners: Chris White pitching. Arias doubled to left, Moss flied out to center. Buckley singled to left, Arias to third. Erich Cloninger flied out to right to sacrifice Arias home. Buckley picked off first base. 1 run, 2 hits, 0 errors, 0 left.
EIGHTH INNING
LOWELL 15, MAHONING VALLEY 4
Spinners: Mark Harris pitching. Suarez singled to left, Jordan singled to left, Suarez to second. Ramos hit into a 5-4-3 double play, Suarez to third. Murton singled to center, Suarez scored. Robert Cucinotta flied out to right. 1 run, 3 hits, 0 errors, 1 left.
Scrappers: Chris Farley pitching. Mulhern doubled to left, Conroy struck out. Josh Noviskey grounded out, Mulhern to third. Snyder homered off the scoreboard in right field, Mulhern scored. Chauncey grounded out back to the pitcher. 2 runs, 2 hits, 0 errors, 0 left.
richesson@vindy.com